Blogs

Web Shows

Resources

Eruption blankets Java in ash

Yogyakarta, Indonesia

A housing complex is seen covered with ash from Mount Kelud, in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, Feb. 14, 2014.

The Mount Kelud volcano erupted late on Thursday night on the heavily populated Indonesian island of Java, sending a huge plume of ash and sand 10 miles into the air and forcing the closure of three airports.

Mount Kelud is 87 miles south of Indonesia's second biggest city Surabaya, a major industrial center. The cloud from the eruption was seen as far as 5.5 miles to the west, and forced the shutdown of airports at Surabaya and the cities of Yogyakarta and Solo.

Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Soldiers and volunteers cover the stupas of Borobudur Buddhist temple with plastic sheets to prevent ash from Mount Kelud from damaging them, at Mungkid village in Magelang, Feb. 14, 2014.

Credit: Dwi Oblo/Reuters

Yogyakarta, Indonesia

A villager who was evacuated from her home due to Mount Kelud's eruptions, holds her daughter as she sleeps at a temporary shelter in Sumber Agung village, Feb. 14, 2014.

Credit: Sigit Pamungkas/Reuters

Yogyakarta, Indonesia

A villager walks near houses covered by ash from the eruption of Mount Kelud at Ngantang village in Malang, Feb. 16, 2014.

More than 56,000 people were forced to flee their homes and four people were killed when Mount Kelud erupted late on Thursday in East Java province, coating cities and airports as far as 310 miles away in a layer of ash and stranding thousands of passengers.

Credit: Dwi Oblo/Reuters

Yogyakarta, Indonesia

A bedroom sits covered in ash from the eruptions of Mount Kelud, in Pandansari village, Feb. 16, 2014.

Credit: Ulet Ifansasti/Getty Images

Yogyakarta, Indonesia

A man covered with ash from Mount Kelud is seen on his motorcycle in Yogyakarta, Feb. 14, 2014.

Credit: Dwi Oblo/Reuters

Yogyakarta, Indonesia

A man wears a mask as he rides a becak, a kind of rickshaw, on a road covered with ash from Mount Kelud, in Yogyakarta, Feb. 14, 2014.

Credit: Dwi Oblo/Reuters

Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Villagers evacuated from their homes due to Mount Kelud's eruptions, sleep on the floor at a temporary shelter at Sumber Agung village in Kediri, Feb. 14, 2014.

Credit: Sigit Pamungkas/Reuters

Yogyakarta, Indonesia

A man covers his face while riding a bicycle on a road covered with from Mount Kelud, in Solo, Feb. 14, 2014.

Credit: Reuters

Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Police officers remove ash from the eruption of Mount Kelud in the tarmac of Adi Sucipto airport in Yogyakarta, Feb. 15, 2014.

Credit: Dwi Oblo/Reuters

Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Workers remove ash from Mount Kelud eruption from the tail wings of a Citilink airplane in the tarmac of Adi Sucipto airport in Yogyakarta, Feb. 15, 2014.

Credit: Dwi Oblo/Reuters

Yogyakarta, Indonesia

A villager clears ash from the eruption of Mount Kelud from the roof of his home at Ngantang village in Malang, Indonesia's East Java province, Feb. 16, 2014.

Credit: Dwi Oblo/Reuters

Yogyakarta, Indonesia

An aerial view of Pandansari village is seen from a mosque covered with ash from the eruption of Mount Kelud in Malang, Indonesia's East Java province, Feb. 16, 2014.

Credit: Sigit Pamungkas/Reuters

Yogyakarta, Indonesia

A child sleeps at a temporary shelter, with a balloon tied to his arm, during an eruption from Mount Kelud at Pare village in Kediri, Indonesia's East java province, Feb. 16, 2014.

Credit: Rezza Est/Reuters

Yogyakarta, Indonesia

An Indonesian resident clears a roof damaged by heavy ashfall, following the eruption of Mount Kelud, Feb.13, 2014.

Credit: Aman Rochman/AFP/Getty Images

Yogyakarta, Indonesia

A villager evacuates cows from an area covered in ash by the eruptions of Mount Kelud in Pandansari village, Feb. 16, 2014.